Capitol Confidentialhttp://blog.timesunion.com/capitol
A behind-the-scenes look at New York politics.Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:22:30 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.250326059After suggesting question is ‘disservice to women,’ Cuomo refocuses on harassment across society (updated)http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279266/after-suggesting-question-is-disservice-to-women-cuomo-refocuses-on-harassment-across-society/
http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279266/after-suggesting-question-is-disservice-to-women-cuomo-refocuses-on-harassment-across-society/#respondWed, 13 Dec 2017 22:45:27 +0000http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/?p=279266Gov. Andrew Cuomo suggested Wednesday that a female reporter was doing a “disservice to women” by focusing on state government’s response to sexual harassment and assault, rather than posing a question about society as a whole.

In a subsequent conference call with reporters, the governor sought to clarify his earlier remarks, saying he meant to flip the question around to focus on what the state plans to do about harassment in all realms.

Speaking with reporters following the Regional Economic Development Council awards at the new downtown convention center, Cuomo was asked whether he thought it was a mistake to hire Sam Hoyt, a now-former economic development official who left his job in late October amid a sexual harassment investigation.

The governor said he does not believe it was a mistake to hire the former assemblyman, who was found to have engaged in a relationship with an intern during his legislative days. He was then pressed on what his administration’s policy will be moving forward regarding sexual harassment,

“We are going to be very aggressive on women’s rights, as we always have,” he said.

Pressed further on what he will do differently in the wake of the Hoyt case, Cuomo asked what journalists will do differently as some in the media face similar accusations.

“When you say, ‘It’s state government,’ you do a disservice to women, with all due respect, even though you’re a woman,” Cuomo said New York State Public Radio’s Karen DeWitt. “It’s not government. It’s society. It was Harvey Weinstein in the arts industry. It’s comedians. It’s politicians. It’s chefs. It’s systemic. It’s societal. It’s not one person in one area. It’s not just Charlie Rose. It’s not just Matt Lauer. It’s not just journalists. It’s societal.”

Pressed a third time for what action he plans to take, the governor noted that on Wednesday he released the first platform of his State of the State agenda: Legislation that would ban those convicted of even misdemeanor domestic violence crimes from possessing firearms. He said there would be additional proposals for how sexual misconduct is handled for all state employees, including those in the executive and legislative branches.

In an evening conference call, Cuomo sought to clarify his remarks, this time responding to a question from Jamie Swinnerton of the Ithaca Times in part about his limited powers to impact society as a whole on the sexual harassment issue.

“I don’t accept the premise that my program and my jurisdiction is only limited to government,” Cuomo said. “That’s why when I had the conversation at the earlier press conference, I was intending to say I don’t accept that premise that my jurisdiction is only subject to government employees. I don’t accept the premise that this problem is only limited to government employees. So I want to restate the question if I can: It’s not just about government employees, Gov. Cuomo, what do you intend to do on sexual assault and the problem of harassment and victimization on a societal level?”

In the conference call, Cuomo alluded to another potential 2018 agenda item: A law that would bar publicly traded companies and government entities from making secret settlements to end sexual misconduct allegations.

“You have all sorts of settlements made on the proviso that nobody says anything about it and the woman has to agree to confidentiality and then it’s paid for by funds that come from other than the perpetrator,” he said. “In the case of corporate America, if it’s a public company, the shareholders pay. If its in the case of the U.S. Congress, the taxpayers pay. Why? Why? Why should you use a shareholder’s money, why should you use taxpayer’s money to cover up a wrong, to compensate for a wrong, and then not disclose it and to gag the woman? So that’s part of the problem that we’re trying to grapple with and we want to address in the State of the State.”

Update: DeWitt said Wednesday evening that Cuomo called her to apologize and that she accepted his apology.

Influenza is prevalent across New York, state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker announced Wednesday.

The declaration by the state’s top health official sets off a requirement that health workers who have not been vaccinated against the flu wear masks in areas where they are likely to encounter patients. It should also put all New Yorkers on alert to take precautions, such as frequent hand washing and avoiding people who show signs of illness.

New York has had 1,820 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza in 54 counties and all boroughs of New York City, according to the state Health Department. Among the reported cases, there have been 612 hospitalizations.

Several published reports have raised concern about the effectiveness of this year’s flu vaccine, following an article in the New England Journal of Medicine last week that showed a record-high number of cases of flu in Australia this year. The authors estimated that the vaccine was only about 10 percent effective in Australia. The mix of flu strains used is the same used in the United States for this flu season. Health experts often look to the season in the Southern Hemisphere each year to predict what will happen here.

State health officials nonetheless recommend New Yorkers get vaccinated if they haven’t already. Studies show influenza vaccine can sometimes make the illness milder even if a patient does contract the virus. Flu season typically lasts until mid-May, and often peaks in February.

“Vaccination is the best way to protect against influenza, and is especially important for health care workers,” Zucker said. “Health care personnel are routinely exposed to sick patients and come in close contact with patients who are most vulnerable to influenza, such as the elderly. I encourage all New Yorkers over six months of age to get their influenza shot as soon as possible.”

Flu symptoms include sudden onset of fever, chills, headache and muscle aches as well as a cough or sore throat. The virus also can result in serious complications like pneumonia, especially among the very young, the very old and those with other medical conditions.

]]>http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279263/n-y-s-top-doc-flu-is-prevalent-around-the-state/feed/0279263Listen: For the first time since June, Cuomo takes questions at the Capitolhttp://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279258/listen-for-the-first-time-since-june-cuomo-takes-questions-at-the-capitol/
http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279258/listen-for-the-first-time-since-june-cuomo-takes-questions-at-the-capitol/#respondWed, 13 Dec 2017 18:15:04 +0000http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/?p=279258Matt Hamilton is on his way back from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s first Q&A at the state Capitol since June — a conclave that comes less than a week after Politico and the Daily News reported that the governor’s press shop had been jerry-rigging a conference call with setup questions. Wednesday’s session was another kind of press availability, which obliged the governor to tackle questions on the upcoming federal trial of his former top aide Joe Percoco, the current FBI inquiry into his office’s hiring practices, and the departure of former Western New York economic development official Sam Hoyt under a cloud of sexual misconduct allegations.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today unveiled the first proposal of the 2018 State of the State: remove all firearms from those who commit domestic violence crimes. Given the inextricable link between domestic violence and lethal gun violence, this legislation will require all domestic violence crime convictions, including misdemeanors, to result in the immediate removal of all fire arms and will add measures to keep firearms out of the hands of those who commit domestic violence with the goal of preventing additional tragedies.

“This year will be remembered as the year of reckoning, when both the tragedy of mass shootings and cultural and institutional harassment of women became impossible to ignore,” Governor Cuomo said. “Building on the Women’s Equality Agenda, we are continuing our mission for progressive values and women’s rights with this legislation to target the unquestionable relationship between domestic violence and gun violence.”

Under Governor Cuomo, New York has passed the strongest gun control laws in the nation. However, New York does not have sufficient laws in place that automatically mandate removing all types of firearms from individuals involved in domestic violence—an issue we know is closely tied to gun violence and gun violence deaths. In nine of the 10 deadliest mass shootings in United States history, including Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs, the shooter had an existing record of committing violence against women, threatening violence against women, or harassing or disparaging women. In addition, when an abusive partner is permitted to access firearms, the risk that the other partner will be killed increases fivefold. In 2016, firearms were used in 25 domestic homicides in New York.

This proposal builds on legislation previously advanced by Assemblymember Amy Paulin, Senator Diane Savino and other members of the legislature.

All Domestic Violence Convictions Result in the Loss of Firearms

New York law prohibits the possession of firearms for individuals convicted of felony or “serious” offenses. However, this excludes certain misdemeanor offenses involving domestic violence, such as assault and battery crimes or strangulation. To ensure that all domestic violence offenders are held to the same standard, Governor Cuomo will advance legislation to include all domestic violence misdemeanors on the list of prohibited offenses.

Rifles and Shotguns Are Also Required to be Surrendered to Law Enforcement

Currently, New York State requires surrender of hand guns for either (1) an order of protection issued by a judge or (2) a firearm license suspension/revocation due to a felony or “serious” offense conviction or a mental health disqualification by a health professional. However, this surrender does not always apply to long guns, such as rifles and shotguns. To correct this loophole, Governor Cuomo will be proposing legislation to apply the same surrender procedures to long guns.

For an Order of Protection, Judges Must Order a Defendant to Surrender Any Type of Firearm

Currently, judges issue orders of protection in domestic violence cases after an individual is arrested, but before they are convicted. These orders result in the suspension of firearm licenses. However, these orders are issued at the judges’ discretion and may not be occur in every domestic violence case. To ensure consistency, the State proposes legislation requiring that all judges mandate the surrender of all firearms – hand guns and long guns – and suspend any firearm license until the case is resolved.

]]>http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279256/cuomo-looks-to-expand-gun-ban-for-domestic-violence/feed/3279256Get your latest round of bill signings herehttp://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279254/get-your-latest-round-of-bill-signings-here-4/
http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279254/get-your-latest-round-of-bill-signings-here-4/#commentsWed, 13 Dec 2017 16:17:37 +0000http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/?p=279254The governor signed six bills on his desk Wednesday morning, including legislation aimed at making it easier for parties in Freedom of Information Law cases to recover litigation costs associated with battles for public records.

The governor signed that bill with an approval message (below), highlighting his desire for additional FOIL reform to open other branches of government up to more robust records requests.

The full list of bills:

Chapter 452

A1250 Buchwald — Relates to the publication of the proposed capital program plan by the metropolitan transportation authority

]]>http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279254/get-your-latest-round-of-bill-signings-here-4/feed/1279254Watch at 11 a.m.: Live from Albany — it’s the REDC awards show!http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279252/watch-at-11-a-m-live-from-albany-its-the-redc-awards-show/
http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279252/watch-at-11-a-m-live-from-albany-its-the-redc-awards-show/#commentsWed, 13 Dec 2017 15:46:50 +0000http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/?p=279252It’s as close to an awards show as the state Capitol gets: Local government and business officials from around New York will be on hand at the Albany Capital Center on Wednesday at 11 a.m. for the announcement of the annual Regional Economic Development Council competition.

Ten regions statewide compete for the money in the process, which was launched by Gov. Andrew Cuomo after he took office in 2011.

This year’s $800 million race for state grants and tax credits will decide whether or not support will be allocated to dozens of projects proposed by the Capital Region’s council, including redevelopment of the old Starlite Theater property in Colonie and the Palace Theatre’s proposed renovation and expansion, which was on the wish list in 2016 as well.

After getting approval for a $38.7 million state bailout to pay its lenders, the real estate arm of SUNY Polytechnic Institute will have a budget surplus this year.

A view of the ZEN building, left, and the NanoFab X building on the campus of the Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at SUNY Polytechnic Institute on Monday, Jan. 25, 2016, in Albany, N.Y. SUNY Poly plans to build a parking garage and office space building in between these two buildings. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

The board of directors of Fuller Road Management Corp. met Wednesday morning and revealed a $313,359 surplus for the 2017-2018 budget year on a $55 million budget.

Net operating income for the entity, one of two that oversees real estate for SUNY Poly, is projected to be $55.62 million, while debt service on its buildings is $54.59 million. Mandatory redemption of bonds on SUNY Poly’s ZEN building add to the surplus figures.

The budget would appear to include $31 million that Fuller Road Management is getting from the state to pay the mortgage on its NanoFab X building. Fuller Road is also getting another $7.5 million to make upgrades to NanoFab X to make it more attractive to potential tenants.

Robert Megna, president of Fuller Road Management, said during Wednesday’s meeting that the annual budget was being presented later than normal to the board for a vote so that the grant money, which was approved earlier this month, could get all state approvals.

Megna said Fuller Road Management actually has a capital reserve of $3 million to $4 million on top of the surplus, which he called “really nothing” in relation to the $55 million budget for the year.

He added that Fuller Road Management actually added $6 million in rental revenue to its budget this year after “resolving some rental issues.”

“We feel we’re in a pretty good and pretty conservative position with regard to the budget,” Megna said.

The money was needed, SUNY Poly said, after one of the tenants of theNanoFab X building, the Global 450 Consortium, completed a five year research and development program. SUNY Poly has yet to find a tenant for the space.

]]>http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279249/after-scoring-bailout-suny-poly-real-estate-arm-has-surplus/feed/2279249Gillibrand shows political muscle in war of words with Trumphttp://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279247/gillibrand-shows-political-muscle-in-war-of-words-with-trump/
http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279247/gillibrand-shows-political-muscle-in-war-of-words-with-trump/#commentsWed, 13 Dec 2017 15:10:29 +0000http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/?p=279247Note: This story by the Hearst Washington D.C. Bureau’s Dan Freedman appeared in Wednesday’s edition of the Times Union. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said on NBC’s “Today” on Wednesday that the president’s tweet at her is a “sexual smear.” That story from the Associated Press is here.

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s war of words with President Donald Trump escalated Tuesday, when he assailed her on Twitter as a ”lightweight” who would ”do anything for” campaign contributions.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. (AP Photo/Drew Angerer)

But political observers suggest that the combat could demonstrate the extent to which Gillibrand has become a heavyweight, especially on the issue of sexual misconduct.

Trump’s tweet came a day after Gillibrand and other Democratic lawmakers said the president should resign due to what she termed “credible” and “numerous” accusations of sexual misconduct dating back to the 1970s. If he does not quit, Gillibrand said, Congress should conduct bipartisan hearings into the allegations.

As is his style, Trump responded with a blistering morning Tweet: ”Lightweight Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a total flunky for Chuck Schumer and someone who would come to my office ‘begging’ for campaign contributions not so long ago (and would do anything for them), is now in the ring fighting against Trump. Very disloyal to Bill & Crooked — USED!”

Gillibrand took to the same platform to respond to Trump: ”You cannot silence me or the millions of women who have gotten off the sidelines to speak out about the unfitness and shame you have brought to the Oval Office.”

At a news conference several hours later, Gillibrand said she viewed Trump’s attack as “a sexist smear. … It’s not going to silence the numbers of women out there speaking out every day since (Trump’s) inauguration about things they disagree with.”

Veteran Gillibrand watchers said the Trump-Gillibrand exchange only burnishes Gillibrand’s credentials among Democratic voters in New York who she’ll appeal to as she seeks re-election in 2018 – and potentially elsewhere if she harbors presidential ambitions in 2020 or beyond.

”For a Democrat, to be attacked by Donald Trump is a medal of honor,” said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. ”It is something you will wear forever in primaries and general elections, whatever you’re running for. You will get you a lot of votes just because voters know Donald Trump hates you.”

Gillibrand is not expected to have serious GOP competition for her Senate seat. Roll Call, a publication focused on the intricacies of Capitol Hill, cast Tuesday’s Twitter war as a “possible 2020 preview.”

Gillibrand’s allies quickly joined New York’s junior senator on the ramparts.

Former Hillary Clinton campaign official Patti Solis Doyle quoted Trump’s suggestion that Gillibrand would “do anything” for campaign donations: “What does that mean, @realDonaldTrump?! You, a man, accused by more than a dozen credible women of assault and harassment, (have) the audacity make this vile, disgusting implication. SHAME!”

”Are you really trying to bully, intimidate and slut-shame @SenGillibrand? Do you know who you’re picking a fight with? Good luck with that,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., tweeted at the president.

The charges of sexual assault against Trump gained prominence during the 2016 campaign when an ”Access Hollywood” recording revealed him using vulgar language to brag about his pursuit of women, including descriptions of groping. But the recent spate of accusations that have brought down famous men like entertainment mogul Harvey Weinstein have cast a new light on Trump’s conduct.

”Only if your mind was in the gutter would you have read it that way,” Sanders said at the regular White House briefing. ”It’s obviously talking about political partisan games that people often play, and the broken system that (Trump)’s talked about repeatedly.” Others noted that Trump’s Twitter feed offered examples of him using similar phrasing to attack male politicians.

Rep. John Faso, R-Kinderhook, criticized the Twitter exchange but declined to assign a greater share of blame to either participant.

”It is entirely unproductive and doesn’t advance the public good on either part,” he said. ”I think tweeting generally is not a good way to conduct public policy, on either part.”

Gillibrand, 51, has turned sexual assault in the military and on campus into signature issues. ”She has street cred” on the subject, Sabato said.

A week ago, her statement that Minnesota Democratic Sen. Al Franken should resign amid a growing chorus of sexual-abuse allegations led to numerous other Democrats also calling on the former “Saturday Night Live” writer and player to quit.

Franken announced a day later he would vacate his Senate seat.

]]>http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279247/gillibrand-shows-political-muscle-in-war-of-words-with-trump/feed/4279247A.M. Roundup: With Alabama vote, a thin GOP margin gets thinnerhttp://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279241/a-m-roundup-with-alabama-vote-a-thin-gop-margin-gets-thinner/
http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279241/a-m-roundup-with-alabama-vote-a-thin-gop-margin-gets-thinner/#commentsWed, 13 Dec 2017 12:53:51 +0000http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/?p=279241Good morning! Democrat Doug Jones won Alabama’s special Senate election to fill Jeff Sessions’ seat, defeating GOP candidate Roy Moore, who maintained the support of his party and the president in the face of a barrage of sexual misconduct allegations.

The upset win in a deep-red state narrows Republicans’ Senate majority to a single seat. It has the potential to reshape President Trump’s legislative agenda and boosts Democrats’ hopes for the 2018 elections. Moore has not yet conceded the race.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s war of words with President Trump escalated Tuesday: He assailed her on Twitter as a ”lightweight” who would ”do anything for” campaign contributions. His tweet prompted a heated response not only from Gillibrand — “It was a sexist smear attempting to silence my voice,” she said — but also from a number of other top Democrats. For Gillibrand, this is a fight with the potential to boosther national profile. (Hearst, Twitter, BN, AP)

Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb is the first Republican to announce his candidacy for governor in 2018. “I believe that people are looking for a new voice, someone that’s really going to listen to them,” Kolb said. (TU)

At a Cohoes City Council meeting Tuesday night, Mayor Shawn Morse declared he will not step down. Meanwhile, another witness came forward with accusations of domestic violence. (TU)

And Brinks robbery getaway driver Judith Clark still wants out of prison. She’s suing the state Parole Board over its denial of her parole. (CapCon)

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]]>http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279241/a-m-roundup-with-alabama-vote-a-thin-gop-margin-gets-thinner/feed/18279241Judith Clark sues Parole Board over denial of parolehttp://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279238/judith-clark-sues-parole-board-over-denial-of-parole/
http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/279238/judith-clark-sues-parole-board-over-denial-of-parole/#commentsTue, 12 Dec 2017 22:09:17 +0000http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/?p=279238Judith Clark, who drove the getaway car in the infamous 1981 Brinks robbery downstate, is suing the state Parole Board over its denial of her parole, her attorneys said Tuesday.

Police at the scene of a Brink’s armored truck robbery in Rockland County in 1981. (AP file)

The lawsuit, filed in state Supreme Court in Manhattan, comes after Gov. Andrew Cuomo commuted Clark’s sentence in 2016, making her eligible for parole earlier this year. Her application was denied in April, and she lost her appeal of that decision earlier this month, according to the Associated Press.

“The decisions reflect a backward looking approach to parole based on the nature of the crime Ms. Clark committed 36 years ago,” attorneys Michael Cardozo and Steven Zeidman said in a joint statement. “But under New York law parole is supposed to be forward looking, and be based on who the individual is today. In denying parole, the Board violated its own guidelines and ignored Ms. Clark’s transformation, her many accomplishments during her decades in prison, the hundreds of people she has helped in the last three decades, and her vast support from people like the former Chair of the Parole Board and the former Superintendent of the prison where Ms. Clark has been held for more than thirty years.”

The attorneys also claim that the board wrongfully denied Clark access to the record on which the board based its decision.

Cuomo’s decision to commute Clark’s sentence drew backlash, with some state lawmakers backing a petition earlier this year that implored the Parole Board not to grant Clark’s release.

Cuomo has defended his decision, saying in January that Clark “has done great work while she’d been in prison.”

“She’s helped many, many people,” he said. “She’d done a lot of generous acts, so I believe she has the right to make her case. Again, I’m not releasing her, I’m giving her the opportunity to make her case to the board.”

In denying parole for Clark in April, the Parole Board explained that releasing her would be “incompatible with the welfare of society as expressed by relevant officials and thousands of its members,” according to the New York Times.